


Memorial Day

by Rebekah_Zellers



Series: Tadpole Series [39]
Category: NCIS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24371281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebekah_Zellers/pseuds/Rebekah_Zellers
Summary: I wanted to find a way to share a story written by one of my favorite entertainers - a humorist named, Jeanne Robertson.   What better way than a story, within a story..
Series: Tadpole Series [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1133774
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Memorial Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [psyche53](https://archiveofourown.org/users/psyche53/gifts).



Gianna made her way into the kitchen with a tear stained face. “Grandpa, I am so sorry for all the friends that you lost in the war. I am so sorry to both of you for all agents you have lost in the line of duty. I know that we can’t go out and do something special because of the Covid crises.”

“No, we can’t, sweetheart.” Tony hugged his daughter closely. “Your immune system and Nathan’s immune system can’t take it”

“I know,” Gianna whispered. “I miss our friends and family so much. They have been in isolation for twenty one days so they can come spend this weekend with. Dad, that’s love.”

“It is,” Tony sighed. “Why are you crying though?”

“I read this beautiful post on Facebook. I found this lady, by accident one day, I needed something to laugh at and she is a humorist. She’s super funny, I will play her youtube videos for you later. She posted this article from one of her experiences. Read it.”

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN

By Jeanne Robertson, SE Gazette, November 2017 

Lee Greenwood gets it right in his song, “Proud to be an American.” 

For the first time, I am not attempting to be funny in my monthly submission to Southeast Gazette. I’ll return to that in the next issue. I am, however, sharing something that happened during one of my trips this Fall. It is my hope that over the Thanksgiving holiday, it will remind us to take a few moments to be thankful we live in this great country. Also, I hope that on November 11, the official Veterans Day (eleventh month, eleventh day, eleventh hour) we will all pause to remember those who have served to keep us free, especially those who are remembered on Memorial Day, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and their families. 

Friday. September 29, 2017. Delta #1814. Atlanta to Pensacola. A packed plane. On the plane with us was an American who made the ultimate sacrifice. And was going home. A coffin was in the underbelly of the plane. It was being escorted home by a member of the military, full dress, carrying a folded American flag and other special items for the family. A passenger in first class gave up his seat for this escort. People politely applauded. We all would have done the same.

When we landed, Delta people asked that we let the military escort deplane first. He was to meet the family. Not a person on the plane moved. No one even stood to quickly retrieve a bag from the overhead bin to be ready to hurry off the plane. I heard no one talking on a cell phone. After the escort deplaned, we all stood quietly to gather our things and leave. The plane emptied without anyone saying a word. 

In the gate area, with no instructions to do so, the passengers turned as a group and walked to look down through the windows as members of a military guard walked slowly in perfect time toward the plane and waited for their fallen warrior. I saw no passengers leave to head toward baggage claim. People from other flights saw what was happening, stopped walking and joined our group. Then, slowly, so very slowly, a coffin - draped in the American flag - appeared and began to move down the conveyor belt into the hands of the white-gloved waiting military escorts. At the first sight of the flag, passengers, by then from our flight and many others, without instruction, put their hands over their hearts as they stood in respect. Many, I'm assuming former or current military, saluted. No one moved until the white hearse, with the remains placed carefully in the back by the honor guard, left the tarmac and the military team walked quietly away in unison and disappeared. 

I glanced around. People of various races, ages, and I'm sure, religions, had stood in respect because they wanted to. They took time to honor a fallen warrior because they wanted to. They honored the American flag because they wanted to. Many had tears streaming down their faces. I was one of them. None of us knew the race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or politics of the fallen American. It didn't matter. It just didn't matter. An American was coming home. Thanks to all who have served and let us especially remember those who "gave all" for the rest of us. God bless America.

“That was beautiful,” Gibbs wiped a stray tear. “I have an idea, since we cannot go out and honor those that lost their lives, what if we use the scrap wood from my woodshop to make a flag and some crosses honoring those that we knew that lost their lives.”

“I’ll go change clothes,” Gianna hurried down the hallway.

Nine hours later, Gibbs stood proud with his grandchildren as they stood with their hands on their hearts looking at the memorial they had constructed. Small hands, so full of love and life, worked tirelessly at making a monument of love.

“Hey,” Tony whispered as Joanna made her way towards the cross marked with Ned’s name on it. “He’s still loved as are you.”

Today, please remember the lives lost and those family members left behind to honor their memories. Stay safe, Stay healthy and remember – you are loved.


End file.
